Clothes-drier



UNITE sra@ T fg-.Fmg

CHAS. A. GALE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 'IO ALBERT S. HALL, OF MALDEN, AND A. R. DAVIS, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 26,004, dated November 1, 1859.

To all whom 'Lt may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. GALE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Combined Shelf and Clothes-Drier; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front elevation, representing the drying slats folded up under the shelf, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the drying slats unfolded ready to receive the clothes.

The nature of my invention consists in combining with a portable shelf, or mantel, (which may be screwed to the plastering or wainscot, of a room) a series of folding slats, substantially as hereinafter described, so that when said slats are unfolded, or turned out, as shown in Fig. 2, they may be used as a clothes-drier, and when not wanted for that purpose, may be folded up under the shelf and entirely out of the way; while the shelf is always convenient and ready for use.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe its construction and operation.

A is the shelf, or mantel, of wood, or other suitable material, and of any desirable length and width.

B is an arm, or brace, the upper end of which is confined to the back edge of the shelf, at one extremity, as shown in the figures.

C is a start, or cleat, attached to the bottom of B, and projecting from it about an inch, or the width of the drying slats.

l, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, are strips of wood a little shorter than the shelf, so as to fold up under it, as shown in Fig. 1.

a is a pin passing through the shelf, A, and a hole near the ends of the slats, and into the start, C, thus forming a pivot, or axle, for said slats to turn upon in a plane parallel with the shelf.

The number of the drying slats may be increased, or diminished, at pleasure, and all, or any part of them, may be used at once, as required. It is also obvious that the shelf may be longer than the slats, or as much shorter as one may choose to make it.

The shelf can be attached to the wainscot of a kitchen, nursery, or other room, by means of screws passing through the arm, B. Cr, if necessary, the other end of the shelf may also be coniined more closely to the side of the room in many obvious ways.

The apparatus may be made extremely cheap and plain, or as expensive and ornamental as required for any room in the house. Vhen not in use for a clothes-drier, it occupies no more available space than a common shelf or mantel,-thus saving all the room that is usually required for storing the cumbersome clothes-horses, or driers, in common use. The drying apparatus alone is simpler and cheaper than any other with which I am acquainted, for a similar purpose; while the whole combined is light and portable, and can be readily put up in any room, and as readily taken down and removed, when desirable.

That I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, substantially as described, of the mantel, or shelf, and the folding slats arranged and operating as set forth and for the objects specified.

CHARLES A. GALE.

Vitnesses:

N. AMES, O. C. SLEEPER. 

